In an increasingly technology-driven world, the Internet of Things holds a special place. It helps to connect devices and establish communication between them through the use of integrated software. According to Statista, the global revenue projection for IoT devices in 2021 will be worth $520 billion. This exemplifies how the Internet of Things is slowly but steadily conquering the digital world and is capable of adding economic value to various markets. At the core of such devices are sensors with embedded software that help automate processes, connect domains, and deliver superior user experiences. Terms like smart homes and smart cities are no longer the realm of fiction, but rather a reality where data drawn from myriad sensors is processed to perform specific activities to deliver great user experiences.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices connected through sensors or embedded technologies that interact with the external and internal environment to arrive at intelligent decisions. The IoT ecosystem comprises three main components:
Stuff: Real-world physical objects or devices that contain sensors and embedded software to interact or communicate with the external environment.
Communication: The network component that enables communication between IoT devices and the external environment, including protocols. 4G for LAN, Wi-Fi for LAN and Zigbee, BLE and ANT+ for PAN.
computing: It runs on a computer or mobile device at two levels: to make smart decisions within the ecosystem, and to create a vital link for data analysis. By analyzing the extracted data, the computing component makes intelligent decisions possible.
A real-life example related to all three components is the car’s navigation system. Here the ‘thing’ is the actual hardware present in the console, which ‘communicates’ with satellite readouts to ‘compute’ and deliver data for the driver to take note of.
Since the IoT ecosystem can have real-time implications for individuals, businesses, and entities, IoT device testing should be given the highest priority. The fundamental role of Internet of Things QA testing is based on validating software and hardware components and verifying whether the transmitted data leads to real-time intelligence. Let’s understand why it is important to apply QA to the IoT ecosystem.
Why is IoT testing critical?
The Internet of Things ecosystem includes components that communicate with each other to generate intelligent results. To ensure its success, a proper IoT testing approach should be considered. Here are the reasons why testing for IoT devices is critical:
Hardware and software compatibility: In the process of testing IoT devices, the interactions between the physical object and the embedded software are validated to obtain specific results. All components of the IoT ecosystem are tested to see if cloud connectivity, interface, data flow, and more work together to deliver quality results.
Interaction between user and device: Here, two types of standards are validated: those driven by the market and those instituted by regulatory bodies. The former is verified based on user feedback, performance, and reliability, while the latter verifies whether the IoT devices to be released comply with established regulatory protocols.
Interoperability between domains: In this type of test, the interaction between devices and the digital environment is measured. Considerations for validation include encryption checks, hardware compatibility, and security standards checks. An IoT device may work well in a single setting or environment, but the same cannot be said with certainty when multiple such devices are communicating with each other. This is done when its performance is monitored across all domains.
Security tests: IoT devices transmit large data over a common network. If a vulnerability exists at any point in the value chain, it can be exploited by hackers or cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive data. Not surprisingly, security testing is critical to ensuring every device on your network is protected from threat actors. In IoT security tests, issues such as data leakage, lack of encryption, or data packet monitoring are checked to make the IoT ecosystem secure.
conclusion
The inevitability of IoT devices to drive digitization initiatives is undeniable. The success of technological advances like AI, ML, data analytics, and others depends on how well IoT devices work. However, these devices may face performance issues and/or security risks, which a proper IoT testing methodology can identify and address to the satisfaction of regulatory authorities, stakeholders, and end users.